CHERYL SCHWEIZER

Levy lid lift moves forward

Facility repairs, vehicle maintenance priorities for GCFD 7 after proposal passes

SOAP LAKE — Grant County Fire District 7 voters have all but assured the passage of a request to raise the amount levied by the district, and GCFD 7 Chief Chris Baker said the biggest priority for the district will be fixing the maintenance shop and hiring a full-time mechanic.

SLPD officers to become baristas for Tip A Cop 2023

SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Police Department will be serving coffee in a good cause at the Busy Bean coffee stand Dec. 5. Proceeds from the “Tip A Cop” fundraiser will go to the SLPD Benevolent Fund, used for its Shop with a Cop program, among other things. Officers will be serving coffee from 6 to 11 a.m.; the coffee stand is located at 320 Sixth Ave. SE in Soap Lake.

Grant awarded to help SLPD retain officers

SOAP LAKE — The city of Soap Lake will receive a grant that helps the Soap Lake Police Department retain officers. Chief Ryan Cox explained the terms to the Soap Lake City Council at its regular meeting Wednesday. Cox said it was awarded through the U.S. Department of Justice.

MLHS to present ‘The Three Musketeers’

MOSES LAKE — Adventure and intrigue, romance, duplicity, danger and honor in Ancien Regime France come to the Moses Lake High School stage this weekend. The MLHS Drama production of “The Three Musketeers” opens at 7 p.m. Friday at the MLHS Theater, 803 E. Sharon Ave. Performances are scheduled at 7 p.m. Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, with a matinee at 2 p.m. Saturday...

Ten decades: Centenarian Eleanor Sorter recalls life and times

MOSES LAKE — Eleanor Sorter is a tough chick. She had to be when her husband Norman passed away from heart problems. Norman Sorter was working on a project – a big project – when he died.

Holiday spirit hits the stage

'Elf: The Musical' coming to Masquers Theater stage

SOAP LAKE — The curtain rises Nov. 25 on a tale of Christmas spirit, and the efforts of a long-lost - and slightly magical - son to rebuild it for his family. The Masquers Theatre production of “Elf: The Musical” runs weekends through Dec. 16. “Elf” is based on the 2003 movie, which Masquers co-director Clifford Bresee called a “modern Christmas classic.” The musical premiered on Broadway in 2011.

Dinner to spotlight, raise funds for McKay Healthcare

SOAP LAKE — A dinner to raise money for McKay Healthcare and Rehabilitation, to thank people for their support of McKay and to showcase McKay’s services is scheduled for Sunday, The “Gathered in Gratitude” dinner and fundraiser is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Soap Lake Natural Spa & Resort, 236 E. Main Ave.

A calling followed: Kersey leaves Moses Lake port to head up Group14 plant

MOSES LAKE — Don Kersey said that, for him, the manufacturing sector holds an irresistible appeal. Kersey is the new manager of the Group14 Technologies facility under construction in Moses Lake.

Moses Lake Municipal Airport could change hands

MOSES LAKE — Management of the Moses Lake Municipal Airport was the subject of a brief discussion at the Port of Moses Lake commission meeting Monday, as city officials mull over the notion of passing management of the facility to the port.

Desert Artists present miniature art show

MOSES LAKE — Art on a small scale is featured at the Miniature Art Show, on display through Nov. 17 at Banner Bank, 322 S. Division St. in Moses Lake. The 15th annual art show is sponsored by Desert Artists.

Moses Lake Classic Car Club to celebrate 50th anniversary

MOSES LAKE — Now technically, the Moses Lake Classic Car doesn’t celebrate its 50th anniversary until 2024, but its members decided to start the party a little early. Club members brought out some of their cars Nov. 5 for a show and shine, part of an open house at Youth Dynamics in Moses Lake. Club members also raised $1,111, which they donated to Youth Dynamics. President Dave Robins described the late fall show and shine as the “kickoff event” for the 50th anniversary. “We’re definitely planning for 2024,” he said.

Quincy considering 2024 capital projects

QUINCY — With 2024 dead ahead, Quincy City Council members are considering proposals for repairs, upgrades, expansion of city services and property. City officials have submitted a list of capital requests to the council.

Scrap metal art competition tests creativity, teamwork

MOSES LAKE — The organizers of the scrap metal art competition work to make it a challenge. That was the lesson of the oxygen tank that attracted the attention of the team from Pasco.

Bids opened for preparation of new Grant County Jail site

EPHRATA — Site preparation for the new Grant County Jail will begin by late February 2024, with the start of construction still to be determined. County officials opened bids for the site preparation phase of the project Tuesday. Capstone Structures LLC, Quincy, was the apparent low bidder. The company bid $2.58 million as its base bid. Marc Seeberger of Lydig Construction, the project manager, said county officials must award the contract to what is called the lowest responsive bidder. “That means there are certain specific requirements they have to include with this (bid) envelope,” Seeberger said. “There were certain ways the bid form had to be filled out.”

Voters make their choice on fire district, parks and rec proposals

EPHRATA — Voters in two fire districts decided the fate of requests to raise levy assessment rates, and decided whether or not to form a parks and recreation district in the Quincy area, in the general election Tuesday.

Quincy Valley Medical Center board approves third phase of construction contract

QUINCY — Quincy residents are beginning to hear and feel, if not yet see, construction on the site of the new Quincy Valley Medical Center. The site has been cleared of three buildings, some trees and grass, and Tony Sanchez of Graham Construction said Monday that the next task is installing the pilings to support the new building, called geopiers. “We drill eight to 10 feet (in) depth, fill them with rock and crush them down,” Sanchez said.

Ready — Aim — Tater! — Potato Days return to CB Tech

MOSES LAKE — The fifth graders counted it down. “Four, three, two,” they chanted - but the countdown was put on hold. The French fry launcher had to build up sufficient pressure. Once it did the fifth graders were free to resume the countdown, with the help of a Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center student

City council, school board seats, levy requests on Election Day ballot

EPHRATA — Candidates for mayor, city councils, school boards, hospital boards, fire districts, port districts and others will learn whether or not they were elected after 8 p.m. tonight. Ballot boxes for the 2023 general election close at 8 p.m., or voters must have mailed their ballots in time to have them postmarked today.

Bra auction raises more than $16,000 for cancer patients

EPHRATA — A fundraising auction to help cancer patients in need raised more than $16,800, starting with an Ephrata business and radiating out to a worldwide group of friends.

Soap Lake council schedules special budget meeting

SOAP LAKE — Soap Lake City Council members will review and discuss the municipal 2024 budget at a special meeting at 5:30 Wednesday at the Soap Lake Community and Senior Center, 121 Second Ave. SE.

‘Little Women’ to be presented by Othello High Drama Club

OTHELLO — The classic tale of four sisters growing up in the shadow of civil war comes to the McFarland Middle School stage tonight and tomorrow night. The curtain rises on the Othello High School drama club presentation of “Little Women” at 7 p.m. on the MMS stage, 790 S. 10th Ave.

Quincy’s downtown filled with treats and horrors

QUINCY — Downtown Quincy was filled with dinosaurs and witches, ghostbusters and cats, pirates, police officers and princesses, among many others, at the Downtown Trick or Treat walk Tuesday night.

GCFD 7 seeks levy lid lift in general election

SOAP LAKE — Voters in Grant County Fire District 7, which includes the city of Soap Lake, will decide the fate of a proposal to increase the rate of the district’s property tax levy for fire service in the general election Nov. 7.

Rice Brothers to perform in concert Nov. 14

MOSES LAKE — The cello-piano duo the Rice Brothers will bring a mix of classical, classic pop and jazz sounds to the stage at the Wallenstein Theater at 7 p.m. Nov. 14. It’s the second concert of the season for the Central Basin Community Concert Association.

Q&A: Moses Lake School Board Position 5

MOSES LAKE — Incumbent Alana DeGooyer and Kirryn Jensen are running for one of three open seats on the Moses Lake School Board.

Data by design

Data center planning determined by climatic conditions and customer needs, Vantag VP says

QUINCY — Vantage Data Centers cut the ribbon on the final phase of its existing facility in Quincy Oct. 18. Simon Casey, the company’s vice president of construction for the Western United States, said the construction expanded the data center to 777,000 square feet. All of that is occupied by one customer, Casey said.

Champion Tigers

Ephrata wins CWAC league title with 13-0 win over Ellensburg

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers football team earned the Central Washington Athletic Conference title with a 13-0 win over the Ellensburg Bulldogs Friday at Kiwanis Field.

Columbia Basin getting spooky for Halloween

MOSES LAKE — Superheroes, goblins, princesses and ghosts out and about on Halloween night will have opportunities for candy, fun and scary places to go throughout the Columbia Basin.

Gettin' crazy

Making a gift leads Tracy Crostley to a new business, Cra-Z Cowgirl Creations

MOSES LAKE — Tracy Crostley’s business started with an attempt to find a gift for a friend. The gift had to be custom, a remembrance of a well-loved family dog, but the person Crostley contacted was slow in responding.

Grant PUD to decide on 2024 budget, rate increase Nov. 14

EPHRATA — Grant County PUD commissioners will consider the passage of a 2024 budget, which includes a 2.5% to 3% overall rate increase, at their Nov. 14 meeting.

Robotic surgical system purchased for Samaritan Hospital

MOSES LAKE — Samaritan Hospital will be purchasing new surgical equipment that will allow the hospital to perform procedures that were previously unavailable in Moses Lake. Samaritan commissioners got a presentation on the new system Tuesday.

Neon Skateway owners working on upgrades, plans for the future

SOAP LAKE — Robert and Margy Rice have some plans for Neon Skateway. “It has so much potential,” Robert Rice said. The Rices purchased Neon Skateway, 48 Moses Lake Ave. NW in Soap Lake, and changed its name in March. It was Hollywood Roll in its most recent iteration. Because it’s recently reopened it’s still a work in progress, but it’s open for roller skating five days per week. Neon Skateway is a Soap Lake fixture, starting out as an Army Corps of Engineers installation back in the early 1950s. “Sometime between 1965 and 1975, somewhere in there, somebody built it into a rink,” Robert Rice said.

‘Murder on the Orient Express’ opens Friday in Quincy

QUINCY — The curtain rises at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Quincy High School on the tale of a mysterious murder with an international cast of suspects. The QHS Theater group presents “Murder on the Orient Express” for two consecutive weekends. The play is based on Agatha Christie’s classic 1934 novel about a death on the most glamorous train in Europe. Ally Manly, who plays a woman with some secrets to hide, summed it up.

‘Shock and awe’

Grant PUD Commissioners discuss rate-setting policy, hear from area power users

EPHRATA — Grant County PUD customers are invited to a commission workshop at 9 a.m. Nov. 23 to discuss electrical rates and rate-setting policy. That invite followed an extensive review of commissioner ideas about rates, rate stability and meeting conduct, among other topics on Tuesday.

Othello schools work to weed out gangs

OTHELLO — Amy Parris, director of student services for the Othello School District, said district officials faced a challenge at the start of the 2021-22 school year — gang activity was starting to seep back into Othello schools. “What we did last year was take a pretty hard stance. ‘We’re not putting up with that here,’” she said.

Fall arts incoming

Music, dance and comedy part of Columbia Basin Allied Arts 2023-24 season

MOSES LAKE — A two-actor look at retirement, a group touring local schools to celebrate Hispanic heritage, music and dance honoring the culture and history of Ghana, a theater camp for children. Those are among the performances scheduled for the 2023-24 Columbia Basin Allied Arts season, which opens Friday.

Jackrabbit royalty '23

QUINCY — Michelle Acevedo Martinez and Ethan Gregg were crowned as Quincy High School Homecoming queen and king during halftime of the Quincy-Medical Lake game Friday. Quincy won the game 43-0. See full coverage of the game on page A5.

Grant PUD spending projected to increase in 2024

EPHRATA — The Grant County PUD expects to spend about $347.2 million, after counting other revenue against expenditures, and finish 2024 with a bottom line of about $118.6 million. Utility district commissioners will approve a budget in November, and PUD officials reviewed the budget projections for customers in public presentations in mid-October...

Quincy takes 43-0 Homecoming win over Medical Lake

QUINCY — The Quincy Jackrabbits turned in a dominating performance at the Homecoming game, defeating the Medical Lake Cardinals 43-0 Friday. The Jacks were stopped in the first quarter, but scored three times in the second quarter and once in the third to take a commanding lead. Talking to the team after the game, Quincy coaches pointed out the Jacks will have a chance at the Caribou Trail League title next Friday in Cashmere. Quincy won its first CTL game in at least three years earlier this season. Coach Russ Elliott said the team has benefited from its players with experience.

Grant Co. PUD wrestles with rate-setting policy

EPHRATA — Grant County PUD commissioners are scheduled to give individual statements on their goals and objectives in establishing rate-setting policy during the regular commission meeting Tuesday. Those statements are scheduled for 9:30 a.m., during the commission’s discussion session.

Quincy area parks district on ballot; recreation survey results reviewed

QUINCY — Quincy-area residents are being invited to a town hall meeting Nov. 1 to discuss the proposal to establish a regional parks district. The proposal is on the Nov. 7 ballot. The money raised through the district would be used to build and operate a new indoor sports facility in Quincy, called the Q-Plex, and a new Quincy swimming pool. If the regional parks district is formed, property owners would pay 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. The parks district boundary would be the same as the Quincy School District, excluding the Douglas County portion and including the cities of Quincy and George.

Local economic innovation key to success says Dept. of Commerce director

MOSES LAKE — Mike Fong, director of the Washington Department of Commerce, said economic innovation starts locally. “We want to strengthen communities and help communities build their own capacity and potential,” Fong said while he was in Moses Lake Monday. “And we don’t want to dictate that. We really want to help that vision become reality. And that’s a local vision.”

Grant PUD rate talk chopped from Tuesday meeting

EPHRATA — A planned discussion about possible Grant County PUD rates was abruptly canceled and a PUD commission workshop closed for a few minutes after a statement from commission chair Nelson Cox...

Graffiti causes challenges for Othello landowners

OTHELLO — Othello Police Chief Dave Rehaume said the gang-related graffiti on an outbuilding facing an alley is an illustration of the problems it causes for property owners...

Gang activity on the decline in Othello

OTHELLO — While there have been high-profile incidents and arrests within the last year, gang activity in Othello seems to be decreasing. “I don’t want to say our gang problem has gone away, but we’ve seen a decrease recently,” said Othello Police Department Detective Steven Perez. “We used to meet once a month with the (Othello) School District, however, the last six months or so I think we had about two (meetings).”

Quincy continues to be a draw for data centers

QUINCY — Quincy is and has been a busy farm town, a center of production for tree fruit, potatoes and other crops. Now it’s also home to a host of data centers...

Radiation Oncology center begins treating patients

MOSES LAKE — Sue Arnold said she had first-hand experience with the challenges of radiation treatment for cancer. So she was pleased to cut the ribbon on the new Radiation Oncology Center built by Confluence Health. The first patients will be treated there today...

Q&A: Samaritan Healthcare commission candidates

MOSES LAKE – Incumbent Samaritan Healthcare Commissioner Dale Paris is being challenged by former commissioner Joe Akers for one of two open seats on the hospital district commission...

Royal royalty

ROYAL CITY — Megan Fielding, left, and Case Christensen, right, were selected as queen and king at Royal High School’s Homecoming game Friday. The Knights won the game 55-0 over Kiona-Benton.

Kersey announces resignation as port director

MOSES LAKE — Port of Moses Lake Director Don Kersey has announced his resignation, effective Oct. 24. Kersey announced his departure for a position with Group14 during the regular commission meeting Monday. “The port is a very special place, and it always will be. I’m just glad I was a part of it,” Kersey said to commissioners in making his announcement. Commissioner Kent Jones paid tribute to Kersey for his work.